Gianni Moscon to serve five week suspension following Tour de France expulsion

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has announced that its Disciplinary Commission has rendered a decision in relation to the incident involving Gianni Moscon during the fifteenth stage of this year’s Tour de France. The UCI confirmed that the Team Sky rider will serve a period of suspension of 5 weeks starting from 8 August to 12 September 2018.

The Italian rider had been kicked off the race after an altercation with Fortuneo-Samsic rider Elie Gesbert in the opening kilometre of the stage from Millau to Carcassonne. A video of the incident showed Moscon aiming a punch at Gesbert. The commissaires cited article 12.1040.30.1 of the UCI regulations, which addresses “acts of violence among riders” and outlines that riders can be disqualified in the event of “particular serious aggression.”

“I accept the suspension given to me by the UCI,” Moscon said in a statement released by Team Sky. “I reacted in the heat of the moment and it was never my intention to hit the rider. As the footage shows I didn’t make contact, but I regret my actions and I have already apologised to both Elie Gesbert and Team Fortuneo Samsic for the incident.”

Team Sky Team Principal Dave Brailsford, said: “We accept the UCI’s decision to suspend Gianni for a five-week period. This incident obviously happened during one of the most challenging races the team has ever faced. We are confident that Gianni truly regrets his actions and has learnt from this episode.

“We have a duty of care to all our riders which we take extremely seriously. Gianni is still a relatively young rider at the start of his career and we will continue to give him the help and support he needs to learn, develop and move forward from this.”